Susan O'Malley Biography

Susan O’Malley is an American sports executive who is recognized as the first female president of an NBA franchise. In 1991, at age 29, she became president of the Washington Bullets, now the Washington Wizards.

O’Malley earned a B.S. in marketing from Mount St. Mary’s University and a J.D. from Georgetown University. Her father was a prominent sports executive in the DMV area, serving as president of the region’s NHL franchise, the Washington Capitals. 

She started as an intern at Washington Sports and Entertainment, the ownership group that managed the Bullets and Capitals. Early in her career, she faced criticism about the opportunities she received, with some attributing it to nepotism. She scoffed at the notion and was tenacious and diligent in her work, earning the respect of her colleagues and going from director of advertising to president in short order.

Her leadership led to the most significant ticket revenue increase in NBA history at the time and a record-high season ticket renewal rate. She also managed the sister WNBA franchise, Washington Mystics, and business operations at their shared home venue, Verizon Center. 

Her keynote speeches harp on her “Seven Leadership Lessons” and “W.I.N. Theory” (Work hard, Individuality, No to stupid stuff). 

She was inducted into Sports Business Journal’s Champions class in 2022 and, post-retirement, consults with The Sports and Entertainment Company. She currently teaches sports business marketing at the University of South Carolina. 

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